Footage shows officers confront father days before 'nightmare' hike that hospitalized children

SALT LAKE CITY — Newly obtained police documents and body camera footage show the man charged with child abuse and torture after allegedly taking his children on a dangerous hike had a run-in with police a week beforehand. The documents said officers were concerned for his mental state.

Micah Smith, a 32-year-old man from South Jordan, took his three children, ages 2, 4 and 8, on a hike to the summit of Twin Peaks in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Oct. 11, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. Court documents said the trail was difficult, but it was made worse by a winter storm that rolled in when the family was on the mountain.

The hike turned into a 24-hour ordeal before rescuers found the family. Two of the children were hospitalized in critical condition.

Prosecutors said that Smith's "behavior is clearly spiraling" — and a police report from the Cottonwood Heights Police Department obtained by KSL-TV outlined an earlier interaction the man had with police that left officers worried.

The documents say that on the morning of Oct. 4, a week before the hike that led to the hospitalization of his children, Smith was found in a pickup truck on the side of a road with no license, registration or insurance.

Smith told a responding officer that he was trying to find the Lone Peak trailhead, the documents say, and said he was going to hike to the top — even after the officer told him it was snowing up there.

Smith also reportedly told the officer that he was "going through a really hard time," and he had a handgun, an AR-15 and an axe in the truck.

"I secured Smith's handgun, rifle and axe in my patrol truck. At this point I had already requested a backing officer," the officer said in the report. "I was concerned about Smith's mental state and his access to loaded weapons."

According to the documents, Smith told the officer he was not intending to hurt himself or family members.

"I advised my backing officers I was uncomfortable releasing Smith with access to the weapons in his current state, for reasons of public safety, but that I did not have a legal reason to seize them," the report said.

The documents say the stop ended with Smith's truck being impounded, and he was given a citation. One of Smith's friends reportedly arrived to pick him up.

"I asked Smith's friend to be cautious about returning the firearms to Smith," the report said.

In another incident after his children were hospitalized, documents say Smith was removed from Primary Children's Hospital for "interfering with patient care and tampering with equipment."

Related:

Utah father accused of torturing children given 'hard no' to release from jail

Micah Smith appeared virtually in 3rd District Court on Dec. 2, where a protective order was issued. Smith was also denied a release on bail.

Assistant Police Chief Chris McHugh, with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department, said the incident underscores the challenges the difficulties of dealing with mental health crises.

"It does show that there is a mental health crisis going on in our society, and we need to try to get people help as best we can," McHugh said.

However, he said for officers to be able to do that, they need help from family, friends and even coworkers to be mindful of their loved ones and reach out for help.

"It's a tragic incident, and I wish it could have been stopped prior," McHugh said. "The information we had, there was nothing that we could have done that day."

Smith is being held without bail at least until his next detention hearing set for Jan. 6. Commissioner Todd Olsen said on Dec. 2 that "there is substantial evidence to support the charges in this case, Mr. Smith, and I do find by a clear and convincing standard that you would be a danger to the alleged victims if you were released today."

Smith is charged with three first-degree felony counts of child torture and three first-degree felony counts of aggravated child abuse.

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